


Persuasion

by kate_aldasse



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-11
Updated: 2014-01-11
Packaged: 2018-01-08 07:52:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1130161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kate_aldasse/pseuds/kate_aldasse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Míriel hadn't realised Indis would take the dilemma as a problem to be solved rather than a situation to be lamented.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Persuasion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Independence1776](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Independence1776/gifts).



> I thought it would be interesting if Míriel and Indis were friends before Finwë, and this is what happened.

When Míriel realised that Finwë intended to propose marriage to her, she had a very small panic, and then a very long think. When that was done, she washed her face and slipped out of the house. Stealing through the quiet streets of Tirion, she cut through a garden and came to the lane under Indis' window. A thrown pebble soon had Indis' golden head peeking out; her hair was braided up for bed.

"Come down," Míriel hissed, "or let me up. There is something I need to tell you."

"Shh! Most of the household is still up." It was true; there were voices and sounds of people moving about and preparing for rest.

"Come down then, so I don't have to whisper loudly at you in the back garden. Meet me in the arbor."

In the farthest corner of the gardens, where the light of the Trees was always blocked by the hillside and garden trees, there was a little stone seat just big enough for two. Indis had trained vines over it, making it very private, and it was their favourite meeting spot. They shared stories and secrets and kisses there for many years; no one else went to this farthest, dampest, shadiest corner of the garden, so they always had it to themselves.

Míriel waited on the bench there, and it was not long before Indis appeared, barefoot and wrapped in a dressing gown.

Indis sat down beside her and bent down to kiss her forehead. Míriel let it pass; she had more important matters on her mind than Indis being taller and older and determined to constantly annoy her with it.

"What's wrong, now?" Indis asked. Míriel could tell she was trying to be soothing, but would have none of it.

"Finwë wants to marry me," she said, "and I won't have him."

"Why not? You've known him for decades, you like him very well, he likes you very well, he's handsome, and you would be Queen of the Noldor." Indis rattled off the reasons like a shopping list. She didn't mention what they both knew: that if Míriel refused Finwë after such a public courtship, the friendship would be over between them as well.

"Stop being so logical! All those things are true, I suppose, but they aren't important. What I meant to say was that I won't have him unless he lets me keep you."

"Keep me?" Indis didn't sound angry at her choice of words.

"You know what I mean," Míriel said. "We've been lovers since long before Finwë began to court me, and I won't give you up for him. I like him well enough to marry him, but not enough to give you up."

"Why would you have to give me up? We can still see each other, still be friends."

"Don't be stupid! We couldn't meet like this; we couldn't love each other as we do. Not if I were married. I would marry you if I could. I love you more than I love him." Míriel felt trapped in their previously cozy bower; she would have gotten up and paced if she hadn't been afraid of being seen from the house.

Indis didn't respond, but wrapped her arms around Míriel. Suddenly the frustration was gone out of her, replaced by calm determination.

Eventually Indis said softly, "If you didn't have me, though, would you marry him? The two of you seem so happy together."

That was easy enough. "Oh yes. I love him ... not the same as I love you, I couldn't love anyone else like I love you, but just as much. But I can't marry a woman, and I can't have any lover if I am married, and if I can only have one, then I'd rather have you."

"Thank you," said Indis quietly, and pressed a slow kiss against her mouth. "I know better than to try to change your mind."

Míriel settled her head onto her lover's shoulder. "Wouldn't it be nice to have both?"

"Both of us?"

"You'd have to share me," Míriel continued with a giggle, "but it's alright because I'd be sharing Finwë."

"Hmm, that would be interesting."

"It would. Not just the things we could do with a third person in bed, but it would be nice to have a husband in public all day and you in my bed at the end of it."

"It would be a hard secret to keep."

"True. We'd have to invent a reason for you to live in Finwë's house. You could be ... Lady of the Queen's Bedchamber."

Indis laughed. "That would never do. Too close to the truth."

Míriel sighed and straightened up, then pulled Indis down for another kiss. "Best to make the most of what I have, then." Indis' mind seemed to be elsewhere, however. "You seem distracted. My kisses aren't exciting enough if you don't have to fight Finwë for them?" she teased.

Indis didn't respond to the teasing, but to the question behind it. "What if you could have both? I'm willing to share, and I have no objection to sharing Finwë with you, but what would it take to convince him?"

Míriel hadn't realised Indis would take the dilemma as a problem to be solved rather than a situation to be lamented. "You know it's impossible. Three people together would be more of a scandal than my having a lover. I don't think there's a solution to this that comes without a sacrifice, and I choose to sacrifice Finwë."

"Well first," replied Indis, "it's only a scandal if we get caught. And second, I love you too much to let you make any sacrifices if you don't have to. So let's see whether you have to before you start mourning any of your lovers."

"You really think there's a possibility he'll agree? He doesn't know you very well."

"We've been acquaintances for years, he knows my family well, and he knows we're friends. For the rest, I trust you to persuade him." Indis sounded entirely too calm for someone making such a shocking suggestion.

"Persuade!" Míriel couldn't even tell if Indis meant with reasoned arguments or something more suggestive.

"I'm pretty sure that Finwë suspects there's something between us, and has for a while. If he objected so strongly he would have done something by now. And he's in love with you -- you could persuade him of anything if you put your heart in it."

"Well, my heart is in it one way or another." Anything was worth trying if it meant the slightest chance she wouldn't have to give up one of the two people she loved most.


End file.
